


Five Things Lizzie Knows About William Darcy

by dancingbeetle



Category: Lizzie Bennet Diaries
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-01
Updated: 2013-02-01
Packaged: 2017-11-27 18:02:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/664868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dancingbeetle/pseuds/dancingbeetle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Slightly AU, set after the Pemberley arc and the resolution of Lydia's troubles. Lizzie lets her viewers vote on how she should fulfill a meme, with the result that she's talking about William Darcy - when she's interrupted by William Darcy.</p><p>This fic is written in the form of a video script.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Five Things Lizzie Knows About William Darcy

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not a screenwriter, so I've played a little fast-and-loose with the formatting - my apologies!
> 
> I thought it would be fun to experiment with writing a fanfic using a different method of storytelling, especially since the LBD has done so many cool things with transmedia storytelling. Let me know what you think!

**Five Things Lizzie Knows About William Darcy**

**(plus one he knows about himself)**

 

INT. LIZZIE’S BEDROOM - EARLY AFTERNOON

 

Lizzie is shooting a video.

 

LIZZIE

Hello, Internet! I am in an inexplicably good mood today, for  
which I have no explanation. Which, I guess, is the definition of  
"inexplicable..."  
But anyway! In my last video I let you all vote on what my  
Five Things topic should be. And, well,

(sighs)

you made yourselves...pretty clear. And I really wasn't sure if this would  
be a good idea. But since I love you all, I will humor you just this once.

(mock sternly)

Don't get used to it!

(she takes a deep breath)

My name is Lizzie Bennet, and here are five things I know  
about William Darcy.

 

CUT TO: TITLE AND THEME MUSIC

 

CUT TO: LIZZIE’S ROOM

 

LIZZIE

So, last week I got started talking about memes, and I thought it  
might be fun to do something memetic on my videos. I like the  
"five things" meme, because it's so interesting to see what weird  
things people know about. You know, Five Things I Know About...  
Glassblowing!  It's really cool to hear about your crazy interests.  
But, foolish me, since I have all these viewers, I thought - hey!  
Let's give them a chance to kind of participate in a video! I'll let  
them pick what I should talk about!

(shakes her head)

I'm worried about you. You're obsessed! And for the record,  
you think about Darcy way, _way_ more than I do.  
But I am nothing if not kind, so...here goes.

 

CUT TO:

 

LIZZIE

The first thing I know about Darcy is that he can speak,  
like, four or five languages.

(she counts them off on her fingers)

French, English of course, some German, Chinese, Greek -  
who speaks Greek?! I guess he did tons of intense language  
camps when he was young and actually minored in French in college.  
And let me just say that of all the things I could be jealous of -  
his family wealth! his successful business! - being  
good at languages is at the top of the list. I flatter myself that I've  
got a pretty good handle on English, but let's just say that Lizzie  
and high school Spanish class were not friends.

 

CUT TO:

 

LIZZIE

The second thing I know about Darcy is that he can play the flute.  
Which I haven't actually witnessed personally, Gigi told me about it.

 

CUT TO:

 

LIZZIE

(aside)

The flute? Adorable.

 

CUT TO:

 

LIZZIE

(disconcerted)

Did I just call William Darcy adorable?

 

CUT TO:

 

LIZZIE

Anyway, yeah, Gigi said he's pretty good, I guess he played  
in youth orchestras and still practices. I say, good for him! Music  
is a wonderful talent to keep up.

 

CUT TO:

 

LIZZIE

The third thing I know about Darcy is that he is a terrible singer.

(leans in)

And I mean _terrible_. Finally, something he's bad at, right?

 

Lizzie laughs, and then remembers just how many of Darcy's weaknesses she's pointed out in detail in these vlogs. Her laugh trails off.

 

LIZZIE

Well, Gigi made him come with us and Fitz to karaoke one  
night while I was still in San Francisco. And then she made him  
get up on stage - really, she bullied him into it, there's no other word for it.

(she laughs again at the memory, but genuinely)

She made him sing _Walking on Sunshine_...

(laughter)

...and halfway through the bouncer made him get off the stage.

 

CUT TO:

 

Lizzie, helpless with laughter.

 

CUT TO:

 

LIZZIE

The fourth thing I know about William Darcy is that he cracks  
his knuckles when he's thinking. And he does this in a very  
particular pattern which I have carefully observed for your benefit.

 

Lizzie pauses. Was that a shriek from downstairs? Is something going on? She shakes her head - probably more Lydia shenanigans.

 

LIZZIE

First, he cracks the fingers on his left hand, going from the  
pinky to the pointer finger. Then he cracks the knuckles  
on his right hand, from his pinky to his pointer. Then he  
cracks his left thumb, and then he cracks his right thumb, and  
then he sort of clears his throat and sighs like this.

(she demonstrates a very accurate Darcy throat-clearing)

He does this, like, all the time - and it's exactly the same every time.  
Except...it gets a little quicker when he's nervous.

(she looks down at her own hands, which are twisted in her lap)

He has surprisingly strong hands for someone who works on  
a computer all the time. Maybe it's the flute. Gigi said once that he  
used to do pottery, so he must be...good with his hands...

 

Lizzie looks a little lost. How does she know how strong Darcy's hands are, anyway?)

 

LIZZIE

(looks directly at the camera, then away)

Oh God, I'm going to have to edit this out...

 

She goes to turn the camera off, but before she can there is a knock on her door.

 

LIZZIE

Come in.

 

The door opens. Behind Lizzie we can see none other than Darcy himself. Speak of the devil...

 

DARCY

Hello, Lizzie.

 

Lizzie turns quickly at the sound of his voice, clearly shocked that he is in her house. What on earth is going on?

 

LIZZIE

Hello.

(glances at the camera)

I had... _no_ idea you were in town.

 

DARCY

I apologize for startling you. I'm here with Bing.  
Your mother said you were up here.

 

LIZZIE

...You're here with Bing?

 

DARCY

Yes. I believe he is talking to Jane at the moment. I...realized  
recently that it was time to rectify some of my past missteps.

 

This is as close to an apology as we've ever heard regarding the Bing-and-Jane situation.

 

DARCY

And, I admit, I had a personal motivation. I wanted to see  
you again.

(he takes an almost involuntary step toward her)

How are you, Lizzie?

 

LIZZIE

I'm...fine. I have to admit, I'm a little in shock right now. I was  
just talking about you.

(she gestures to the camera)

 

DARCY

I hope you were saying good things.

 

William Darcy, is that a smirk on your face?

 

LIZZIE

Of course! I...I don't say the other stuff any more. The mean  
stuff.

(pause)

Do you...want to sit down?

 

She scoots over, and he comes in, closing the door behind himself and taking a seat on her right. If their shoulders brush, neither of them moves away.

 

Darcy cracks the knuckles on his left hand. Lizzie looks down and tries not to laugh.

 

DARCY

What is so funny?

 

LIZZIE

It's a long story.

(Darcy quirks an eyebrow)

Okay, fine! So, Charlotte told me that I should include more  
audience interactivity in my videos - let the viewers participate  
more in deciding on and generating content...

 

DARCY

Yes, making your viewers feel engaged is an important  
part of a venture like this.

 

LIZZIE

(speaking quickly)

Right. So, there was this meme going around where vloggers  
pick a subject and then list five things they know about it, which  
can be as detailed as they want. And I asked my viewers to  
contribute ideas about what I should talk about. And, well,  
it was kind of unanimous.

 

DARCY

(amused)

They wanted you to talk about me.

 

LIZZIE

...Yeah. And I may have mentioned the knuckle cracking.  
Hence the chuckle.

(hurriedly)

If you're uncomfortable with it, I'll pick a different topic - or I won't  
do the meme at all! If I had known you were here, I...

 

DARCY

No, it's fine. I'd be very interested to see what you know about me.

 

LIZZIE

Really?

 

That was not the reaction she expected.

 

DARCY

Absolutely.

 

Hello eye contact!

 

DARCY

Where are you on the list? Had you finished already?

 

LIZZIE

No, I was on number five.

 

DARCY

Well, then. Please - continue.

 

Long pause.

 

LIZZIE

Okay...

(she looks at the camera)

The fifth thing I know about William Darcy is...that I was  
completely wrong about him.

(she takes a deep breath)

He is not the rude, snobby jerk I thought he was at the beginning.  
He's...the farthest thing from it. He's kind, he's generous,  
he's so dedicated to the people he cares for. Even when he does  
things that I...disagree with, I understand now that he does them  
for reasons that he truly thinks are best. And...who _hasn't_ been  
wrong once or twice in their lives? Everything Bing and Gigi  
and Fitz said about him - it's true. And now I've had the  
chance to see it for myself, and experience it for myself, and I've  
realized just how wrong I was.

(quietly)

And...I regret it. Very deeply.

 

At some point during this speech Lizzie has stopped looking at the camera. She and Darcy are now staring at each other, and Darcy is clearly very moved and taken aback.

 

LIZZIE

(swallows and looks down)

Lydia... Um, Lydia told me that you were there. At the end, with  
 the George...situation. She told me what you did.

 

Darcy starts to protest, but she cuts him off.

 

LIZZIE

She told me that you asked her not to say anything, but  
I'm glad she did. I'm glad I know what you did, William.  
Because now I can say thank you. And that's all I'll say,  
because I know that you don't want to talk about it. But I want  
you to know that I appreciate it. More than anything.

(she looks him in the eye)

Thank you.

 

DARCY

(long pause)

You're welcome, Lizzie. I...felt it was the right thing to do.

(another long pause and woah mama, eye contact)

That was the first time you've called me by my first name.

 

LIZZIE

(surprised)

Really? I didn't even realize.

 

DARCY

Yes.

 

From downstairs there is the faint sound of jubilation, which neither of them notice in the slightest.

 

DARCY

If I may, I have something to add to your video. Something  
I know about myself which may...come as a surprise to you.

 

Lizzie does look surprised.

 

LIZZIE

Well, by all means. It's only fair that you get a turn to talk  
about William Darcy.

 

DARCY

(looking at the camera)

The thing I know about William Darcy is that...

 

He pulls back his chin, just the tiniest bit, and then pushes it forward almost stubbornly.

 

DARCY

...he is still in love with Lizzie Bennet. Terribly so, in fact.

(he tries to adopt a flippant tone, but it's not really working)

He, ah, tried not to be. For some time. Not because of any  
impropriety or reservations he associated with his affection,  
I hasten to add, but because it was unlooked for. He tried  
very hard to ignore that affection, to avoid making  
Lizzie uncomfortable, but he has been...unsuccessful.

(he clears his throat)

He is gratified to learn that her opinion of him has changed -  
very gratified. In the past few weeks he has dared to allow  
himself to hope that her feelings toward him have changed, too.  
Perhaps his hope is foolish. But he had to come and ask her,  
he had to find out for himself. He couldn't...he couldn't  
stay away any longer.

 

He looks at Lizzie, who is open-mouthed and wide-eyed with astonishment. She hasn't uttered a syllable.

 

DARCY

If she still feels the way she used to, he will go away and  
never mention it again. But if, by some chance, her feelings  
 _have_ changed - or even if she thinks they might - he hopes  
very much that she will do him the courtesy of  
letting him know.

 

He begins to stand - he's said his piece and doesn't intend to wait around for her answer. But Lizzie grabs his arm.

 

LIZZIE

William, wait. Please.

 

DARCY

You don't have to tell me now. I didn't come here intending  
to...put that pressure on you.

 

LIZZIE

Please sit back down.

 

He does, slowly. There is a long moment while she composes herself. He is clearly steeling himself for the worst.

 

LIZZIE

(looking at Darcy)

You're right. My feelings toward you _have_ been changing.  
The time we spent together in San Francisco was...amazing.  
I was really happy there, and a big part of that was you. But I  
didn't think you could possibly still have...feelings for me. I don't...

 

Darcy has been looking hopeful, but now his face falls. Lizzie sees this but ploughs on.

 

LIZZIE

...I don't want you to think that I changed my mind about you  
because of what you did for my family. I don't want it to be about  
that. In San Francisco I felt like your equal, for the first time  
since I've known you. And that was also part of what made  
it amazing. I started feeling differently about you way before you  
helped Lydia. And if we're going to do this, that's what I want it  
to be like. Equal footing, just you and me. I don't want  
anything else to...influence us.

(quietly)

There's been enough of that already.

 

Darcy is very focused on one part of what she said.

 

DARCY

What...what do you mean by "do this?"

 

Lizzie smiles, a true genuine smile, and takes his hand. He intertwines their fingers and looks back and forth between her face and their hands as if he can't quite believe what's happening. Neither can Lizzie, for that matter.

 

LIZZIE

What I mean is, I know something about Lizzie Bennet.  
Which is...that she has fallen in love with a certain  
William Darcy. Quite terribly, in fact.

 

DARCY

(unsteadily)

Really?

 

Lizzie nods gently. They sit for a long minute holding hands and simply looking at each other, the camera apparently forgotten. Then Darcy's hand comes up and cups Lizzie's face, brings her mouth up to his and - they kiss. It is simple and sweet and a long time coming. His left hand on her jaw, her left on his upper arm, the fingers of their right hands still tangled on her lap.

 

LIZZIE

(disengaging from the kiss)

So...

 

DARCY

(if anything, unsteadier than before)

So.

 

LIZZIE

(grins)

Wanna be boyfriend/girlfriend?

 

DARCY

(is that...a giggle?)

Yes. Yes, there is nothing I would like more.  
Lizzie Bennet, you...

 

Now they are both giggling, for real. Leaning into each other and kissing again, messier this time, his hand in the hair at the nape of her neck, hers moving to clutch the lapel of his shirt.

 

It is at this moment, naturally, that Lydia bursts dramatically into Lizzie's room.

 

LYDIA

Oh. Em. _Gee_. Lizzie, you are _not_ going to believe what's  
going on in our -

(the scene registers)

\- holy _shit_.

 

Clearly torn between two dramatic events, she looks back and forth between the hallway and the embarrassed pair, then screams and runs down the hall.

 

LYDIA

(yelling)

 _Jane_!! Oh my _God_!

 

LIZZIE

Well, that's torn it. Although, I wonder what she was going to tell me.  
When Lydia is _that_ excited...

 

DARCY

Well, unless I'm very much mistaken, Bing came here today in  
order to beg Jane's forgiveness and ask her to take him back.

(Lizzie gapes)

And when I say beg, I believe there was going to be actual  
prostration involved.

 

LIZZIE

(laughs)

Well, I'm glad you didn't consider that necessary.

 

DARCY

(stiffly)

I won't say the thought didn't cross my mind.

 

LIZZIE

(laughs more, then notices the record light still glowing)

Oh my God the camera is still on!

 

She scrambles to turn it off, but Darcy stops her.

 

DARCY

Wait - don't you need an outro?

 

LIZZIE

Uh...I guess. Why, did you have something in mind? I'm kind of  
thinking that I won't post this particular video...

 

DARCY

No, you should. It seems...appropriate to come full circle.  
Besides, I have a last line all ready for you.

 

Lizzie makes a "be my guest" gesture. Darcy stares down the camera.

 

DARCY

Georgiana Darcy, if the words "I told you so" dare to so  
much as cross your mind -

(Lizzie laughs)

\- you can kiss your graduate school tuition goodbye.

 

He points sternly at the camera. Lizzie grabs his arm, laughing, and reaches out to turn it off.

 

CUT TO: BLACK

 

FADE IN: INT. - LIZZIE’S ROOM, EVENING

 

LIZZIE

Hi again, everyone. Boy! That was...dramatic.

(despite her ironic tone, she can't keep from smiling)

So, turns out, Bing was actually downstairs _proposing_ to Jane.  
And - well, she didn't say yes, exactly, but they're back  
together, and if I know my sister - and my mother - that's  
definitely the direction things are heading in. And as for me and  
William, well...you saw that.

(silly grin)

Anyway. I'm actually just adding this on to say goodbye.  
I've decided that this is going to be my last video for a while.  
My thesis is complete, and I kind of feel like this project has  
run its course. Lydia is safe... Jane is happy... And so am I.  
Really happy, for the first time in a long time. And I guess I just  
think that it's time to focus on that, rather than on these videos.

(she smiles at the camera)

But I want to say thank you. For everything. For sticking with  
me through all these twists and turns, for supporting me, for  
helping me with my project... I couldn't have done all this  
without you. So thank you. And good luck to you all, in  
whatever you're doing. I hope you end up as happy as  
we did. And maybe I'll see you again - who knows?  
But until then... My name is Lizzie Bennet, and this is the end.

 

She waves, and turns the camera off.

 

CUT TO: BLACK

 

THE END


End file.
